Snail problem

[Dewey]

Ive been having problems with snails slowly dyeing.Ill give you a lilttle in fo on the tank.

I started the tank about 4 months ago .I bought it used .Its a 75 gallon with 30 gallon sump.. Mag 12 return pump attached to a spray bar,two maxi jet ph,Oceanic model six skimmer. It came with about 100 lb. live rock and about 60 agronite sand. When i set the tank up i added more lr and sand. And know have about 140 lb lr rock and about 170 lb agronite for dsb. I have been slowly loosing snails. The water checks out good ph 8.1-- nitrate 0 --nitrite 0-- Ammonia 0--- . My calcium and my alk levels are off and im working on this calcium 250ppm alk. 4.5 meg. I have never tested for copper .

Hermit crabs are doing fine. I have two perk clowns,one yellow tang,one lawnmower blenny.

Im looking for any ideas this is really starting to piss me off.'

Thanks in advance Dewey

 

[steve-s]

Since the tank is used, testing for copper would still be a good idea even though the hermits are showing no ill affects. I still doubt the backwards chem will be the problem. Have you checked to see if the Mg is highly elevated? The snails are being drip acclimated? The hermits are not aquiring new homes by force?

I would try contacting the previous owner and ask if any meds where ever used in the tank and if so what kind.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Dewey]

Ill have to get a copper test kit. I have not checked the Ma ill have to get a kit for that to. I drip acclimated everything. The snails seem to do ok for awhile. In that last two days ive lost 2 or 3 ceriths they have been in there for about 3 months. I dont think the hermits are bothering them. Ive been keeping a pretty good eye on them.


Thanks Dewey

 

[Dewey]

copper

Well i went and got a copper test kit. I think im in trouble here. It tested positive for copper .20mg/l. This must of happened in the last couple of weeks . I wish i knew how it got in there. From what i have read its really hard to get copper out. Please give me all the ideas you can how do i get it out?


Thanks Dewey

 

[steve-s]

Re: copper

Well i went and got a copper test kit. I think im in trouble here. It tested positive for copper .20mg/l.

I would suggest verifying the reading against the tap water and your RO water to be sure the reading is accurate. Doesn't make sense it is that high and the hermits are still alive. Are they active as normal or very sluggish in the movements? What test kit?

From what i have read its really hard to get copper out. Please give me all the ideas you can how do i get it out?

Get a couple of polyfilters, they rock. The filter will remove/lower both ionic and chelated forms of copper.

Cheers
Steve

 

[reefrunner69]

Doesn't make sense it is that high and the hermits are still alive.

I have treated (in my newbie years) tanks with theraputic levels of coppersafe and the hermits always made it through just fine, suppose it could have been the chelation that saved them.

 

[Guest]

I have treated (in my newbie years) tanks with theraputic levels of coppersafe and the hermits always made it through just fine, suppose it could have been the chelation that saved them.

Me too, I had 4 hermits and 3 snails in my QT one time, because of no use fo QT'ing yet.... Then I had to treat one day and forgot them... I transfered the sick fish into it and dosed with Copper Formalin treatment... The snails and hermits lived through all of it.. and then stayed in there for quite a few months... I then removed them and ditched all of the substrate and cleaned the tank well and set it back up with everything new and added them back to it...When I decided I did not want the QT up anymore, I gave the hermits and snails to a friend...They are still alive today... strange, that goes against all I read about the dangers of copper and inverts... inverts with no exoskeletons I am beliveing now, are the ones that copper kills readily.. This is just something I thought I would add, and I in no way would advise that Hermits and snails endure that kind of treatment...

 

[steve-s]

suppose it could have been the chelation that saved them.

True, chelated copper can be a saving grace. Although water changes and carbon can actually lower chelated forms much easier than ionic ones. That is one reason I suggested testing the other water sources to confirm the test kit reading and determine where the copper was coming from. Leaching from within or via the water sources.

Either way, the polyfilter will help alot...

Cheers
Steve

 

[Dewey]

copper

Im really baffled know i tested some water i have mixed up to do a water change with . This test kit says i have .20mg/l of copper in my new water. I think this test kits is junk. Its all the lfs had . Its a fasttest kit from Aquarium systems. Some body help me im going nuts.LOL

All of my other kits are seachem. Will some one please give me a name of a good copper Kit.


Thanks in advance Dewey

 

[specialk]

Are you using tap water? When adding Inverts or Fish did you use the LFS water?
How did you acclimate the snails?
Not sure if this could be a cause, but thought I would bring it up.

Kaye

 

[Dewey]

snails

I use a Kent ro/di filter. And i drip acclumate


Thanks Dewey